Encyclopedia

GRAND PRIX RESULTS: BELGIAN GP, 1976

Two weeks after the controversial race in Spain (which had been won by James Hunt before being given to Niki Lauda when Hunt's McLaren was found to be too wide) the F1 team gathered at Zolder. The field included two six-wheeler Tyrrells (Jody Scheckter having used an older car in Spain). Hesketh had expanded to two cars with the return of Guy Edwards, who had found sponsorship from Penthouse and Rizla, while RAM Racing had replaced Emilio de Villota with local driver Patrick Neve. He would end up as the only Belgian in the race as Jacky Ickx failed to qualify the Williams-run Hesketh.

At the back there was disappointment for Emerson Fittipaldi who failed to qualify his Fittipaldi.

At the start Lauda went into the lead and Hunt grabbed second from Regazzoni. It soon became clear that the Ferraris was quicker on lap six Regazzoni moved to second. The two Ferraris then ran off to a dominant 1-2 victory. In the early laps Laffite ran fourth but he was passed on the ninth lap by Depailler after an attempt to pass Hunt caused him to slow down. The Ligier driver recovered and retook Depailler on lap 15. Two laps later Laffite went ahead of Hunt. Depailler followed by the Tyrrell went out with engine failure on lap 29, elevating Scheckter to fourth. Hunt was fifth but retired on lap 36 with a transmission failure, leaving the place to Amon. On the 52nd lap a wheel came off the Ensign and Amon crashed, the car being flipped upside-down by an earth bank but the New Zealander emerging unscathed. This left Alan Jones (Surtees) to finish sixth.